


The Known Unknown

by bossbeth



Series: Tumblr Scraps [5]
Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Angst, F/F, what are we tagging kasnian kara as
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-27
Updated: 2019-03-27
Packaged: 2019-12-18 14:30:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 698
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18251750
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bossbeth/pseuds/bossbeth
Summary: She isn't Kara, and Lena can't stop kissing her.





	The Known Unknown

**Author's Note:**

> Needed to write something quick to sum up my feelings after an implausibly good 4x16 episode of Supergirl.

The first time is on a Thursday afternoon.

It’s in the middle of the work day. Lena has a half hour to herself - a miracle of scheduling and efficient meetings - and is settling in to toast herself with a few fingers of scotch when there’s a knock at the door.

Kara has a blazing expression on her face, open and thoughtful and serious.

“Hello, Lena,” she says, standing by the sofa and opening and closing her hands over and over again. “I want to know what it feels like to kiss you.”

Lena puts down her scotch.

Lena doesn’t hear from her. It’s not uncommon - they get busy, their text chain quiets. It happens. They had made plans for brunch a week later. Lena had never been so goddamn nervous for brunch before.

Kara embraces her warmly, and immediately starts talking to her about trash TV, eyes bright with excitement.

She says nothing about the kiss.

Lena understands.

The second time Kara kisses her is a Monday evening. She’s leaving the office later than she’d like - all too common for Mondays. Kara is waiting for her, leaning against her driver’s side door, hands covered by an overlarge sweater pulled down and over them.

“I missed your mouth,” Kara says simply.

They need to talk about it. When Kara puts her hands on Lena’s hips, and they say nothing at all. Lena is weak enough to let it happen.

The third time Kara kisses her, she knows it isn’t Kara.

She pulls away, resting her forehead against Kara’s, closing her eyes so as not to see that earnest blue that is so upsettingly familiar. “Who are you?” she asks.

Kara looks at her steadily, a frown tugging down the corners of her mouth. “I don’t know.” She ducks her head. “I’m me.”

It’s dangerous, dangerous. Think it through, Lena. You live in a world of aliens, and interdimensional tricksters, and multiverses - and all of them are cruel.

But the woman who isn’t Kara is kind.

Kara Danvers is sweet and funny and brilliant - but shy, and guarded, and hesitant. Scared she’s going to break something. By being honest with Lena, by being honest with herself. Lena has never pushed her, no matter how badly she wants to, meeting Kara right where she is, as heartbreakingly shallow and limited as that may be.

The woman who isn’t Kara is sweet and funny and brilliant. She is curious, and bold, and seems to not know what she should hide. She uses her powers openly, casually, with a joyous delight at her ability, and Lena finds it intoxicating.

More intoxicating is that when she wants to touch Lena, she does. A hand in Lena’s hair while they talk. An impulsive kiss chased by another when Lena laughs.

It’s dangerous, dangerous, and Lena leaps into it with her eyes wide open.

“I want to touch you,” says Kara, without the slightest shyness. “Will you touch me?”

There is no shame, no hesitation. She laughs when Lena palms her stomach, gasps when Lena strokes her thigh. She is vocal, and enthusiastic, and it’s the most foolish thing Lena has ever let happen.

It goes bad. Of course it goes bad. It’s Lena’s fault. When the woman who isn’t Kara and Supergirl finally clash, they level half the city, Lex pontificating to her all along about the true woman of tomorrow.

She knows how to fix it.

After all is said and done, the woman who is not Kara isn't scared - but Lena is. She's never been more terrified.

As the Harun-El reunites them, Lena knows this is the end.

Kara looks up at her, brow furrowed, remembering it all, hurt and confusion blooming across her handsome face.

They don’t talk about it.

Their text chain quiets to nothing.

Lena is weak enough to let it happen. She was irresponsible. There are consequences.

It takes four goddamn years for Kara Danvers to take off her glasses.

“She knew what it felt like to kiss you,” Kara says. “I don’t.”

Lena is weak. The world is cruel. But maybe Lena can be forgiven if finally, finally, Kara can be brave.

Lena meets her where she is.

**Author's Note:**

> You're welcome!
> 
> Come holler at me, [on tumblr I'm bossbeth](https://bossbeth.tumblr.com/), and [I'm heybossbeth on twitter](https://twitter.com/heybossbeth)


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